Sensory Receptors Overview L4
130 Questions
1 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary role of sensory receptors?

  • To store information for future use
  • To increase the speed of neural pathways
  • To interpret information from previous experiences
  • To transduce stimuli into electrical signals (correct)
  • Which type of receptor is sensitive to light?

  • Mechanoreceptor
  • Thermoreceptor
  • Photoreceptor (correct)
  • Nociceptor
  • What is the term for the interpretation of sensory information by the CNS?

  • Perception (correct)
  • Transduction
  • Modulation
  • Sensation
  • Which of the following is NOT classified as a special sense?

    <p>Proprioception</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'threshold' refer to in sensory receptors?

    <p>The minimum stimulus required for detection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neural structure is associated with transmitting information to the cerebral cortex?

    <p>Thalamus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How are generator potentials primarily generated?

    <p>From the activation of sensory receptors when an adequate stimulus is present</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sensory receptor is a Pacinian corpuscle?

    <p>Mechanoreceptor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system?

    <p>Proprioception, vibration, and discriminative touch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurons cross the spinal cord and form the contralateral medial lemniscus in the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway?

    <p>2nd order neurons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the dorsal column pathway, which part of the body is represented laterally in the spinal cord?

    <p>Lower body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines dissociated sensory loss?

    <p>Loss of one sensory system while the others are preserved</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the left cuneate nucleus is lesioned, which sensations would likely be affected?

    <p>Vibration and discriminative touch in the contralateral upper limb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which tract carries sensations of pain and temperature?

    <p>Lateral spinothalamic tract</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where do olfactory pathways primarily project?

    <p>Directly to the cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which description best fits the concept of somatotopic organization?

    <p>Segregated organization of sensory pathways according to body regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the sensory cortex mapping, known as the cortical sensory homunculus, reflect?

    <p>Receptor density in different body parts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primarily determines the intensity of a sensory stimulus in the CNS?

    <p>The frequency of action potentials in afferent pathways</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does receptive field size impact sensory discrimination?

    <p>Smaller receptive fields increase the discrimination ability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of receptor continues to fire as long as the stimulus is present?

    <p>Tonic receptors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of 2nd order neurons in sensory pathways?

    <p>Project from thalamus to sensory cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of nerve fiber is primarily responsible for proprioception and vibration sensation?

    <p>Aα fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the concept of convergence in sensory pathways involve?

    <p>Multiple sensory neurons signaling to a single 2nd order neuron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sensory receptors fire primarily at the onset of a stimulus and cease during constant stimulus?

    <p>Phasic receptors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which area is the sensory information processed after it leaves the thalamus?

    <p>Sensory cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What structure contains the cell bodies of unipolar primary sensory afferent neurons?

    <p>Dorsal root ganglion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primarily influences the quality of a sensation at a conscious level within the CNS?

    <p>The arrangement of sensory pathways</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following accurately describes the function of receptors?

    <p>They transduce external or internal stimuli into electrical signals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of sensory pathways?

    <p>To carry information from the receptors to the central nervous system integrating centers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following definitions accurately describes sensation?

    <p>The process of detecting stimuli from the internal and external environments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly defines perception?

    <p>The interpretation of sensory information by the CNS, triggering a response.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sensory receptor is responsible for detecting pressure in the skin?

    <p>Mechanoreceptor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT classified as a special sense?

    <p>Proprioception</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which sensory receptor is primarily involved in the detection of light?

    <p>Photoreceptor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of receptor detects changes in blood pressure?

    <p>Mechanoreceptor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of receptor would respond to noxious stimuli?

    <p>Nociceptor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where are olfactory receptors located?

    <p>In the nasal cavity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes a simple neural receptor?

    <p>A sensory receptor that is a specialized afferent neuron ending.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of receptor includes hair cells in the auditory system?

    <p>Special senses receptor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the threshold in the context of sensory receptors?

    <p>The minimum stimulus that can be detected.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs during transduction in sensory receptors?

    <p>Conversion of stimulus into an electrical signal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement describes the process of generator potential?

    <p>It is a change in membrane potential that occurs in response to a stimulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the process of signal transduction via free nerve endings, what initiates the action potential?

    <p>Net Na+ entry produces a receptor potential that triggers Na+ channel opening.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of voltage-gated Na+ channels in signal transduction?

    <p>They open in response to depolarization and initiate action potentials.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of receptor would be categorized as a nociceptor?

    <p>Free nerve endings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What initiates the action potential in an afferent fiber during signal transduction?

    <p>Local current flow and net Na+ entry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding action potentials?

    <p>They are self-propagating once initiated.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the first step in the signal transduction pathway for sensory receptors?

    <p>Generation of the generator potential.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of neuron carries the information from the sensory receptor to the central nervous system (CNS)?

    <p>Primary afferent neuron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does the primary afferent neuron synapse in the sensory pathway?

    <p>In the spinal cord</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of potential is generated when the stimulus is adequate?

    <p>Generator potential</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the second-order neuron in the sensory pathway?

    <p>To receive and process information from the first-order neuron.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does the information go after being processed by the thalamus?

    <p>To the cerebral cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs when the generator potential reaches the threshold?

    <p>An action potential is generated in the primary afferent neuron.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of potentials do second-order neurons generate in response to excitatory postsynaptic potentials (ePSPs)?

    <p>Generator potentials</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which order of neuron transmits information from the thalamus to the cerebral cortex?

    <p>Third-order neuron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the adequate stimulus for sensory receptors?

    <p>A stimulus that is strong enough to generate a generator potential.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a receptive field?

    <p>The area within which a receptor responds to a stimulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the brain determine the modality or type of stimulus?

    <p>By recognizing the specific receptor type that is activated.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What determines the intensity of a stimulus as perceived by the CNS?

    <p>The number of activated receptors and frequency of action potentials</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the body typically has the highest sensory acuity?

    <p>Fingertips</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of overlapping receptive fields?

    <p>They enable the combination of sensory inputs and refine sensory discrimination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the two-point discrimination test, what distance can humans normally distinguish two points apart on their fingertips?

    <p>2-5 mm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the sensitivity of the palm compare to the back of the hand?

    <p>They have a higher density of sensory receptors with smaller receptive fields.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding sensory pathways?

    <p>Each sensory pathway is dedicated to a specific region of the cerebral cortex.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the two-point discrimination test used to assess?

    <p>The acuity or ability to discriminate the location of sensory input.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which area of the body typically has the largest distance required to distinguish two points during the two-point discrimination test?

    <p>Back of the hand</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is receptor adaptation?

    <p>The change in firing rate of sensory receptors in relation to the constancy or intensity of the stimulus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of receptor continues to fire as long as the stimulus is present at or above the threshold level?

    <p>Tonic receptors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a tonic receptor?

    <p>Baroreceptors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Phasic receptors are characterized by which of the following features?

    <p>They adapt to constant stimuli and cease firing during steady-state conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When do phasic receptors fire?

    <p>When the stimulus intensity changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do tonic receptors contribute to homeostasis?

    <p>By providing constant sensory information regarding ongoing conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the firing rate of phasic receptors when a stimulus becomes constant? A) The firing rate increases. B) The firing rate decreases or ceases. C) The firing rate remains constant. D) The firing rate becomes erratic.

    <p>The firing rate decreases or ceases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where do the cell bodies of primary sensory afferent neurons reside?

    <p>Dorsal root ganglion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of neuron is a primary sensory afferent neuron classified as?

    <p>(Pseudo)unipolar neuron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which structure connects the primary sensory afferent neuron to the sensory receptor?

    <p>Single process (axon)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of information do the dorsal roots of spinal nerves primarily contain?

    <p>Sensory axons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of sensory fibers are responsible for transmitting proprioception and vibration?

    <p>Aα and Aβ fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of fibers are characterized by being thinly myelinated and unmyelinated?

    <p>C fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the conduction speed of Aα and Aβ fibers?

    <p>Fast</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of sensory fibers are involved in transmitting pain and temperature sensations?

    <p>Aδ and C fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic of Aα and Aβ fibers contributes to their fast conduction?

    <p>Heavily myelinated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the information transmitted by primary sensory afferent neurons after it reaches the dorsal horn of the spinal cord?

    <p>It is processed and sent to the brain for interpretation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a dermatome?

    <p>The area of skin from which sensory fibers enter a given spinal root</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of sensory fibers is primarily responsible for transmitting proprioception and vibration?

    <p>Aα and Aβ fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Pain and temperature sensations are transmitted by which type of sensory fibers?

    <p>Aδ and C fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Each spinal nerve corresponds to which of the following anatomical features?

    <p>A specific dermatome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sensations does the spinothalamic pathway primarily transmit?

    <p>Pain, temperature, and pressure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the spinothalamic pathway, where do the first-order neurons synapse with second-order neurons?

    <p>Dorsal horn of the spinal cord</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which structure do the second-order neurons of the spinothalamic pathway cross before ascending to the thalamus?

    <p>Anterior commissure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the path of the second-order neurons after they cross the spinal cord?

    <p>They ascend in the contralateral spinothalamic tract.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where do the axons of the third-order neurons in the spinothalamic pathway project to?

    <p>Sensory cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which neurons are responsible for transmitting signals from sensory receptors to the spinal cord in the spinothalamic pathway?

    <p>First-order neurons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The spinothalamic tract primarily carries information from which part of the body?

    <p>Both upper and lower limbs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the axons of the first-order neurons in the spinothalamic pathway?

    <p>They enter the spinal cord via the dorsal root and synapse in the dorsal horn.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is true regarding the spinothalamic pathway?

    <p>It involves three orders of neurons.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by 'convergence' in sensory pathways?

    <p>Multiple sensory neurons send signals to a single second-order neuron.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does divergence influence sensory input? A) It reduces the brain's ability to locate a stimulus. B) It allows a single sensory neuron to transmit information to multiple areas of the brain. C) It increases the intensity of the signal. D) It eliminates redundancy in sensory processing.

    <p>It allows a single sensory neuron to transmit information to multiple areas of the brain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about convergence is true?

    <p>It can lead to referred pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which phenomenon allows the brain to perceive a stronger signal from multiple sensory neurons?

    <p>Convergence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does somatotopic organization refer to in sensory pathways?

    <p>Specific segmentation based on body regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the spinothalamic pathway, where do fibers representing the lower body enter?

    <p>Lateral position</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding the dorsal column pathway?

    <p>It has a lamination with lower body fibers more medial.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where are the fibers from the cervical levels located in the dorsal column pathway?

    <p>Laterally</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which nucleus is responsible for processing sensory input from the lower body in the dorsal column pathway?

    <p>Gracile nucleus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sensations does the anterior spinothalamic tract primarily transmit?

    <p>Pressure and crude touch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which nucleus is responsible for processing sensory input from the upper body in the dorsal column pathway?

    <p>Cuneate nucleus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sensations does the dorsal column-medial lemniscal (ML) system primarily carry?

    <p>Proprioception, vibration, and discriminative touch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the dorsal column pathway, where do the 1st order neurons synapse with the 2nd order neurons?

    <p>In the medulla</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the axons of 2nd order neurons in the dorsal column pathway?

    <p>They cross the spinal cord (decussate) in the lower medulla.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the gracile nucleus in the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system?

    <p>Processes sensory input from the lower body.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which structure is formed by the crossing of axons in the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system?

    <p>Medial lemniscus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where do the 3rd order neurons project their axons in the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system?

    <p>From the thalamus to the sensory cortex</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of neuron is a first-order neuron in the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system?

    <p>Pseudounipolar neuron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which sensory pathways project directly to the cortex without passing through the thalamus?

    <p>Olfactory pathways</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where do equilibrium pathways primarily project?

    <p>Cerebellum</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the thalamus in sensory processing?

    <p>It serves as a relay station for all sensory pathways except olfactory.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the cortical sensory homunculus represent?

    <p>The topographical representation of sensory distribution in the body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the relative space occupied on the somatosensory cortex determined?

    <p>By the density of sensory receptors in each body part</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following sensory modalities does NOT project through the thalamus?

    <p>Smell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The arrangement of sensory pathways to specific cortical areas allows for what capability?

    <p>Enhanced sensory discrimination and interpretation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which pathway is affected in a patient with a lesion of the left cuneate nucleus?

    <p>Dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What sensations will be primarily affected due to a lesion of the left cuneate nucleus?

    <p>Proprioception, vibration, and discriminative touch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    On which side of the body will sensory loss be detected in a patient with a left cuneate nucleus lesion?

    <p>Left side</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the body will experience primary sensory loss due to the lesion of the left cuneate nucleus?

    <p>Upper limb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which pathway is affected in a construction worker with a lesion of the left spinothalamic tract?

    <p>Spinothalamic pathway</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What sensations will be primarily affected due to a lesion of the left spinothalamic tract?

    <p>Pain and temperature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    On which side of the body will sensory loss be detected in a patient with a left spinothalamic tract lesion?

    <p>Left side</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of the body will be primarily affected in terms of sensory loss due to the left spinothalamic tract lesion?

    <p>Primarily lower limb, but may affect the upper limb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Sensory Receptors

    • Transducers convert stimuli into electrical signals
    • Sensory pathways carry information from receptors to the CNS
    • Sensation: Detecting stimuli from internal and external environments
    • Perception: CNS interprets information, triggering a response (conscious or subconscious)

    Sensory Receptor Classification

    • Stimulus:
      • Mechanoreceptors: Pressure, displacement (e.g. Pacinian corpuscle, hair cells)
      • Photoreceptors: Light (e.g. rods and cones)
      • Chemoreceptors: Chemicals (e.g. olfactory receptors, taste buds)
      • Thermoreceptors: Temperature (e.g. cold/warm receptors)
      • Nociceptors: Damaging stimuli (e.g. pain receptors, polymodal nociceptors)
    • Structure:
      • Simple neural receptor: Free nerve endings (e.g. pain receptors)
      • Complex neural receptor: Specific histological structures (e.g. mechanoreceptors)
      • Special senses receptor: Specialized receptor cells (e.g. hair cells in the auditory system)

    Signal Transduction

    • Generator potential: Graded potential in the sensory receptor, amplitude proportional to stimulus intensity
    • Action Potential: Generated when generator potential reaches threshold
    • Transduction: Conversion of stimulus into electrical signal

    Sensory Pathway: Transmission of Information

    • 1st order neuron: From sensory receptor to spinal cord
    • 2nd order neuron: From spinal cord to thalamus (relay nucleus)
    • 3rd order neuron: From thalamus to cerebral cortex
    • 4th order neuron: Within the cerebral cortex

    How the Brain Interprets Sensory Signals

    • Location: Receptive field - area where a receptor responds to stimulus
    • Modality: CNS recognizes receptor type, determining the stimulus type
    • Intensity: Determined by the number of activated receptors and the frequency of action potentials
    • Duration: Tonic receptors fire continuously during stimulus; Phasic receptors adapt to constant stimuli

    Acuity and Sensory Discrimination

    • Receptive field size: Smaller fields=greater acuity (ability to discriminate location).
    • Two-point discrimination test: Measures acuity (e.g. fingertips have high density of receptors, smaller receptive fields, greater acuity)
    • Overlapping receptive fields: Refine sensory discrimination, combining inputs

    Primary Sensory Afferent Neurons

    • Pseudo-unipolar neurons: Cell body in dorsal root ganglion, single process splits into two:
      • Connects to sensory receptor
      • Transmits information from receptor to spinal cord
    • Dorsal root: Contains sensory axons
    • Ventral root: Contains motor axons

    Sensory Fiber Types

    • Aα and Aβ fibers: Large diameter, heavily myelinated, fast conducting (proprioception, vibration, discriminative touch)
    • Aδ and C fibers: Small diameter, thinly myelinated or unmyelinated, slow conducting (pain, temperature)

    Dermatome

    • Area of skin innervated by sensory fibers entering a given spinal root

    Spinothalamic Pathway (Anterolateral System)

    • 3-neuron system
    • Carries pain, temperature, and crude touch
    • 1st order neuron: From sensory receptor to spinal cord, synapses with 2nd order neuron in dorsal horn
    • 2nd order neuron: Axons cross spinal cord (decussate) and ascend in contralateral spinothalamic tract to the thalamus
    • 3rd order neuron: From thalamus to sensory cortex

    Convergence and Divergence of Sensory Input

    • Convergence: Single sensory neuron signals to multiple 2nd order neurons (distributes signal to different brain areas)
    • Divergence: Multiple sensory neurons converge on single 2nd order neuron (increases signal intensity, reduces pinpoint location, e.g. referred pain)

    Dorsal Column-Medial Lemniscal (ML) System

    • 3 neuron system
    • Carries proprioception, vibration, and discriminative touch
    • 1st order neuron: From sensory receptor to spinal cord, ascends in dorsal columns, synapses with 2nd order neuron in medulla (gracile/cuneate nucleus)
    • 2nd order neuron: Axons cross spinal cord (decussate) in medulla to form contralateral medial lemniscus, synapse with 3rd order neuron in thalamus
    • 3rd order neuron: From thalamus to sensory cortex

    Somatotopic Organization

    • Segmented representation of body parts in sensory pathways:
      • Dorsal column pathway: Lower body medial, upper body lateral
      • Spinothalamic pathway: Lower body lateral, upper body medial
      • Spinal cord: Fibres entering from lower body are lateral, upper body medial
      • Thalamus: Fibres entering from lower body are medial, upper body lateral

    Dissociated Sensory Loss

    • Loss of one sensory system while the other remains intact
    • Caused by damage to a single tract in the spinal cord or brainstem

    Sensory Pathways: Projections to the Brain

    • Olfactory: Directly to cortex
    • Equilibrium: Cerebellum (branch to cortex via the thalamus)
    • Other pathways: Pass through the thalamus before reaching cortical areas

    Cerebral Cortex

    • Contralateral projection: Sensory neurons from one side of the body project to the contralateral sensory cortex
    • Somatosensory homunculus: Topographical map of the sensory distribution of the body in the cerebral cortex, reflects receptor density

    Cuneate Nucleus Lesion

    • A lesion of the left cuneate nucleus affects the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway
    • This pathway is responsible for proprioception, vibration, and discriminative touch
    • The sensory loss will be detected on the left side of the body
    • This sensory loss will primarily affect the upper limb

    Spinothalamic Tract Lesion

    • A lesion of the left spinothalamic tract affects the spinothalamic pathway
    • This pathway is responsible for pain and temperature
    • The sensory loss will be detected on the left side of the body
    • This sensory loss will primarily affect the lower limb, but may also affect the upper limb.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    Explore the fascinating world of sensory receptors and their role in detecting and processing environmental stimuli. This quiz covers various types of receptors, including mechanoreceptors, photoreceptors, and chemoreceptors, as well as the pathways that transmit sensory information to the central nervous system. Test your knowledge on sensation and perception!

    More Like This

    Somatosensory System Organization Quiz
    10 questions
    Sensory Receptors and Pathways Quiz
    92 questions
    Sensory and Motor Pathways Overview
    40 questions
    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Browser